Episode VI - Nose to the Grinder

“What kind of idiots wander the streets at night when there are Grinders on the loose?”

The woman was staring at them, her eyes quivering slightly, with her hands firmly on her hips.  Ellis couldn’t help but notice that she was about his age and not unattractive.  She had long dark hair which fell down over her back and her eyes were large, brown pools, but she was dressed like a man, as far as he could tell from the archaic fashions.  If he had seen her in Larksborough, he would have assumed that she was going to a pirates and princesses party and had chosen to rebel.

“We did have weapons,” the Former Baron protested, “We weren’t completely defenceless.”

“Then why didn’t you use them, instead of standing around and waiting for me to rescue you?”

Her voice was smooth and dark and velvety.  A smile twitched at the corner of Ellis’ mouth.

 “What do you think is do funny?  And just why are you dressed like a… is he supposed to be some sort of clown?”

The Former Baron shrugged, “I haven’t asked.”

“It would explain the stripes, but all that black and the chains… court jester for the Khan down in Searingsands, maybe?  I hear he likes chains, and straps… and leather.”  She suppressed a giggle and Ellis felt his face turning red.

“This is just what I wear!  I get enough stick about it back home without the ridicule of a whole other world.”

“Then why do you wear it then?” the Former baron enquired.

“Well… because… I like it!”

“You like being ridiculed?  See, I was right, he is a jester!” she wasn’t suppressing her amusement now.

“Enough about me, why don’t you tell us who you are and what you’re doing in this-” he looked around.  They appeared to be in a kitchen.  All the windows were boarded up and the only light came from candles dotted around the place, but it was enough to illumine the strange patterns of lines and circles drawn in black sand which decorated the floor.  Various weapons were strewn about its edges in a manner Ellis assumed was not random.  “…this place,” he finished, somewhat at a loss for words.  He felt a chill run down his spine.

“I was trying to prepare myself to go out and fight, until you two interrupted me.  And you still haven’t actually answered my question.  Who are you and what were you doing out there, which, I’m sure, is the greater mystery?”

“I am the Former Baron Von Spektr,” the Former Baron said, stepping forward and bowing with a flourish, “although, you can call me Franck, if you like.”  He turned to Ellis.  “This is Elton, who I suppose is my assistant in an experiment pertaining to trans-aetherick travel.”

“Ellis,” Ellis corrected.

“And we were out to get some extra supplies for said experiment.”

“And this experiment is important enough to brave Grinders at night?”

The Former Baron and Ellis both responded at once, “Yes!”

“Okay, okay.”

Outside the Grinder gave a loud roar.

“Has that thing not wandered off yet?” the woman asked, peering through a crack in one of the boards covering the windows.

“That is strange,” admitted Von Spektr, “they are usually quick to return to the main streets.  They don’t like empty  cul-de-sacs.”

“Maybe it’s just tired and frustrated,” the woman suggested, “they have been on the go since yesterday evening, and from what I gather the harvest hasn’t been good for them.”

“The harvest?” Ellis asked and instantly regretted it.  “No, sorry, don’t tell me.”

“That’s what the Stoneskins call it anyway,” she replied, “on a bad night for us it’s more like a massacre.”

“I can imagine.”  He tried to change the topic.  “So, are you some sort of pirate?”

She smiled, “You’ve probably heard of me!  I’m known across the ocean as Siren.”

There was a long silence.

“Yes, the Siren, feared by sailors and pirates alike, famed for her skill and wisdom and beauty, scourge of the- You haven’t heard of me at all have you?”

The Former Baron shook his head sadly, “Such a shame too.  They sounded like they would have been entertaining things to have heard.”

“Tell me about it,” Siren said, her shoulders slumping, “there’s just too much competition in the pirating business these days.  Why else do you think I’m here?”

“You’re trying to make a name for yourself as a Slayer!” Von Spektr exclaimed.

“A what now?” asked Ellis, as confused as ever.

“A Slayer,” Siren explained, “it’s someone who fights Stoneskins on a freelance basis, a kind of mercenary.  It’ll do until I get my ship back at least.”  She saw the expression on the other’s faces and continued, “It’s called the Ebony Crest, and I lost it in a moment of desperation during a poker game.  Harker Blake has it now and he’s been flaunting it, but I’m sure he cheated so,” she gave Ellis a wink, “I’m going to take it back.  I just need to raise a little capital first.”

The Grinder outside roared again.  It sounded louder than the first time and considerably more angry.

“It still hasn’t  moved on?” Von Spektr asked, clearly puzzled.  “Let me have a look at it, please.”

Siren moved aside and let the Former Baron peer out through the crack and into the street.

“Oh my, this is most peculiar.  It looks very angry, but also… it’s sniffing for something.  I think it’s trying to find us!”

“That’s not good!”  Siren hurried over to where the weapons lay on the floor.  “If you two gentlemen could just move out of the way for a bit, I’m going to see if I can finish this spell off.”

“Magic?” cried Ellis in alarm.

“It’s just the application of hypostatick energy, my boy.  This is just a more old-fashioned way of doing things, that’s all.”  He smiled, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat, as my aunt Hildegard used to say, and she should know; she used to restring our piano on a regular basis, may she rest in peace.”

They stepped back and Siren stood in the middle of the black sand, crossing her arms across her chest and closing her eyes as she did so.  Almost instantly the sand began to glow, shining bright green within seconds and the weapons began to rise from the ground.

“The lines of sand direct her hypostatick energies to perform certain tasks.  All she has to do is give herself up to the pull of those commands.  It takes great concentration, but, technically, anyone can do it.”

The weapons reached the level of her arms and then began to circle around her.  The Grinder roared again and she flicked one eye open.  A particularly brutal-looking halberd wobbled in mid air.

“I’ll keep an eye on that Grinder for you,” Von Spektr said hurriedly, turning around to peer out once more.

Siren closed here eyes tight and the weapons steadied themselves, then began to glow green  like the sand.

“You know, I think he’s actually starting to get our scent!  This is remarkable!  Why, under different circumstances-”

Two things happened at once to prevent the Former Baron from finishing his sentence.  There was a bright flash of green light as the glowing weapons became immaterial and shot into Siren’s body, causing her to collapse onto the floor, and the Grinder charged at the house, breaking through the wood and stone of the doorway and sending out a cloud of dust that blew out all the candles.  The Grinder roared in the darkness.  Only its burning eyes lit the scene.

Ellis had been knocked over by a falling beam and was now struggling to regain his feet.  His legs hurt where the beam had hit them, but they didn’t seem to be broken.  Beyond the roaring of the Grinder he could just make out a groan from the other side of the room.  It sounded like Von Spektr.  Through the dim light and the dust there was no sign at all of Siren.

The roaring beast was looking left and right, its eyes leaving contrails in the air.  As Ellis stood up and reached over his shoulder for the sword, those eyes turned his way and latched onto him.  The Grinder roared once more and, if Ellis hadn’t been led to believe differently, he would have thought it sounded triumphant.  The sword arced over his shoulder and the beast charged forwards.  There was a moment where everything seemed to be moving quickly, making noise – pounding heartbeats, the thudding feet of the Grinder, the ring of air against steel – and then there was a loud crack and the Grinder roared in agony.

Ellis blinked.  The sword had cut into the beast’s slate scales above its mouth, right between those glowing orbs which now twitched and flickered with rage.  Its mouth snapped at the empty air between itself and its prey.  It was working the blade loose.

Taking a chance, Ellis kicked out with one leg and felt the solid mass of the Grinder against the sole of his boot.  It moved just a little.  He tried again, putting more force into it this time and heaving on the sword as he did so.  The blade came loose and the Grinder fell back a few steps, not far, but just enough for Ellis to dodge backwards and out of the way of its next charge.  It ploughed through the woodwormed remains of a set of cupboards and then stumbled around through the debris to catch sight of its prey once more.  Ellis raised the sword as its flaming eyes flicked around to lock onto him once more.

“You’ll need more than that to kill it!”

It was Siren, she had regained her feet at last and was now standing behind him, glowing faintly in the darkness and holding a long knife in her hand, the elaborate blade of which curved round to shield her forearm.

The Grinder charged again and Siren spun into action, her bladed arm slashing out over its head as she leapt around it.  There was a clang, then another and then a hissing, scratching sound.  The blade sank into the creature’s skull.  She pulled it out quickly, stepped back and then watched as the Grinder dissolved into nothingness, just like the one Ellis had first encountered.

“To kill a Grinder you either need to be really good at targeting its weak spots, and let’s face it, they don’t have many, or you need a way to cut through stone.  My spell was for the latter.  She gave Ellis an honest smile, “But thanks for holding it off for me.”

There was a coughing sound from one corner and, after sharing a brief, panicked glance, Ellis and Siren rushed over to retrieve the Former Baron from a pile of plaster dust, plywood and broken glass.

“Are you alright, Franck?” Siren was asking as Ellis lifted him upright.

In response the Former Baron coughed, smiled weakly and said, “Yes, yes, yes, but I think I need some tea.”

NEXT EPISODE

PREVIOUS EPISODE